A Noble Endeavor
by Maltrazz
Summary: A rainstorm, a ripped shirt, and two rivals finally having a civil conversation lead to secrets being exposed that begin to change the dynamic between the two martial artists. Eventual Ryoga x Ranma-chan.
1. Ch 1: Silk and Secrets

**A Noble Endeavor**

 **AN:** Wait, a Ranma story? Yep. Finally back from my year+ excursion into a new fandom. Not to say I won't write for those stories anymore, just that I' finally back to writing for Ranma 1/2, too. Before we start, though, an important note.

 **Disclaimer: All members of royalty portrayed in this story are entirely fictional, as are any events involving them. Any resemblance to real people or events, (past, present, or future,) is entirely coincidental.**

Now that that is out of the way, any resemblance to _fictional_ royalty is likely entirely intentional. But enough about that for now, as it won't be relevant until later chapters anyway.

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 1: Silk and Secrets

It was a dark and stormy night. Well, more like a gray and drizzling midafternoon, and Saotome Ranma was having a bad day. Some might have thought it was because she had been caught in the rain. Those that knew Ranma might have thought it was because said rain had Ranma stuck as a girl, for the time being. Those that knew about Ranma's most recent fight might have thought that Ranma was annoyed at Mousse for the 'unprovoked' attack. Most, however, would have been surprised by the true source of the redhead's ire.

"I can't believe that jackass ruined my favorite shirt," Ranma grumbled as she traced her finger along the cut that nearly exposed her breasts. "This was my last silk one, too."

As she rounded a corner on her way back to the Tendo dojo, Ranma walked into a wall, or at least what felt like one until Ranma recognized the tough yellow shirt covering the solid muscles.

Stepping back and looking up at the equally surprised Lost Boy, Ranma crossed her arms with a scowl and said, "I ain't in the mood ta deal with ya today, pig brain."

"Saotome…" Hibiki Ryoga growled back. After a moment, however, he seemed to deflate, his anger shifting to an aura of depression that filled the area beneath his umbrella. "Whatever, I'm not in the mood to deal with you either."

That only peaked Ranma's curiosity, though, her own concerns temporarily forgotten in favor of discovering what could get her normally confrontational rival to turn away without a fight or even an insult. "Huh? No 'prepare to die'? You ain't been abusing the Shi Shi Hokoudan again, have ya? Ya know using that too much is bad for ya."

"How I use my techniques is none of your business, Saotome," Ryoga snapped back, his rival's comments succeeding in breaking out of his depression for a moment. The Lost Boy's face flushed as he glanced downward. "I don't know what you're playing at, Ranma, but don't think you can use your cursed form against me like you can Kuno!"

Glancing down herself, Ranma saw that crossing her arms had caused her breasts to nearly spill out of her damaged shirt. Scowling, Ranma fingered the sliced material as she replied, "Like I was talking about, ya ain't the only one who's had a bad day. Mousse went and ruined my favorite shirt over something that wasn't even my fault ta begin with."

"I doubt that. You probably were to blame," Ryoga said. "Besides, worrying about your clothes? Since when did you get so girly?"

"Hey, I'm being practical!" Ranma protested. "This shirt was perfect for martial arts! It was snug enough that it didn't offer a handhold for opponents like a gi does, plus it dries real fast, which is nice considering how often I get splashed." A sad expression crossed the redhead's face as she added, "Not ta mention it was a gift."

"A gift?" Ryoga asked in surprise.

"Yeah, from a shopkeeper in China," Ranma explained. "I stopped a thief from robbing him. Of course, the thief was my Pops, but the shopkeeper didn't know that. He gave me a few of these as thanks, but all the others were ruined already. This was the last one, and they were pure silk! I can't afford ta replace these! I mean, using my cursed form ta get a free snack here and there is one thing, but I ain't about ta steal something that expensive." Glancing at her rival, Ranma saw a thoughtful expression on Ryoga's face. "What is it?"

"What if I got you a new shirt?" Ryoga asked. "After the day I've had, all I want is to get to the Tendo's before dark, so how about I get you a new shirt and you take me back with you?"

Ranma thought about it for a moment, before nodding in agreement. "Sounds fair ta me. I'll lead the way ta the mall and-"

"Right here," Ryoga interrupted, pointing to the building next to them. "This is where I get my clothes. I just dropped off some to get mended, since I was passing by."

Ranma glanced at the small building, not seeing a sign or any indication that it was a shop at all. As she followed him in, she said, "This is a store? They really need ta work on their… advertisements…" Ranma trailed off as she got inside, seeing a beautifully furnished lobby with plush chairs and a comforting fire in the fireplace.

"Hibiki-sama?" Said an old man behind a counter, the only indication that the building was a business, rather than the home of someone rich or famous. "I'm afraid I have not yet had time to finish the repairs. My apologies, but I've grown accustomed to more time between your visits."

"It's not for me, Shitateya-san," Ryoga said. "My friend needs a new shirt."

The man quickly came out from behind the counter and sized up Ranma with a glance. "I see what you mean. Silk, excellent taste, young lady. Would you like same material or something else? As for the style, not the most flattering for one with your figure. Perhaps you would like something that would complement you better?"

Ranma blinked in surprise, the man already taking measurements as he spoke. Before she could speak up, however, Ryoga answered, "Ranma is my martial arts rival. Keep it practical, I don't want to beat him only to have the shirt used as an excuse."

"Pfft, like I'd need it," Ranma scoffed.

The old man just chuckled and said, "Same material and style, as you wish, Hibiki-sama. Any special requirements?"

"Hot water," Ryoga said shortly. "He has a Jusenkyo curse like mine."

"Just one moment," the man replied, heading to another room.

Looking at Ryoga, Ranma asked, "Okay, what's up with ya now? You're acting strange around that guy."

"He owes my dad a favor," Ryoga explained, "because of that, he always treats me differently and it gets a little awkward."

Before Ranma could inquire further, the old man returned with a cup of warm water. Already drenched from the rain, Ranma took the water and dumped it over her head, returning to his male form. Without batting an eye, the man began taking measurements once more. In a matter of moments, he was finished and said, "Please make yourselves comfortable. I shall bring refreshments in a moment, and the first shirt should be done within a half hour."

"The first?" Ranma said in surprise.

The man caught himself and said, "My apologies, Hibiki-sama always gets three shirts whenever he stops by, so I assumed this would be the same."

"Three?" Ranma turned to his rival, "There ain't no way, ya got enough on ya for _three_ silk shirts."

The old man chuckled and said, "As if I would make Hibiki-sama pay out of his own pocket. Please give the _kōshaku_ my best regards, Hibiki-sama."

Ryoga frowned as he said, "You know my father is no longer called that."

"Perhaps not officially, but those who matter have long memories," the old man replied as he left the room once more.

As the pair of rivals sat down, an awkward silence settled over them. A few minutes later, the man returned with a platter holding a pot of tea, two cups, and a spread of delicious looking sashimi, shrimp, and other seafood.

Ranma looked at the 'refreshments' in surprise as the man left the room once more and muttered, "What kinda place serves seafood while ya get a shirt?" Despite his words, Ranma already had a pair of chopsticks in his hand and began eating the moment he finished speaking.

"Shitateya-san is one of the most skilled tailors in all of Japan," Ryoga explained, "so he often caters to the rich and famous, and has even made outfits for the imperial family. If it weren't for my father, I'd never be able to afford his services. I hate having to rely on that but, with my lifestyle, it's not like I can afford to pass up free clothes."

"Why would ya pass that up?" Ranma asked, thinking about his own childhood on the road, living off of nature and what his father would steal.

Scowling, Ryoga said, "I'm not like Kuno. I don't plan to live my life off a family name and my parents' money. I want people to recognize me for what I can do, not who I'm related to." Pointing firmly at Ranma, he went on. "That's why I refuse to be second best to anyone, especially you!"

Ranma gave that a moment of thought before replying. "Huh, I never realized we had that in common."

Ryoga blinked in surprise. "What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"Have you _met_ my old man?" Ranma asked rhetorically. "I ain't got any desire ta be known as the kid of a thief and a coward. So, I gotta make sure people think of me first, no matter what ridiculous stuff I have ta do ta make it happen."

"What about your mom?" Ryoga asked, unable to help his curiosity. "Isn't she from a samurai clan?"

"Yeah, 'cause reminding people I'm one slip away from committing seppuku is _so_ much better," Ranma grumbled. "I mean, she's from the Himura clan or something like that, but that doesn't mean much nowadays." Looking back at Ryoga, he asked, "Speaking of, ain't _kōshaku_ some old title or something?"

Ryoga frowned, saying, "I don't like to talk about it. Like I said, I don't want people treating different because of my family."

Ranma frowned for a second until a mischievous grin replaced it. "Aw well, I can just ask Nabiki about it later," he commented casually. "Although, I suppose she'll want ta know where I heard it from."

"Don't you dare," Ryoga snarled at his rival.

"Well, if ya ain't gonna tell me…" Ranma replied with a smirk.

Ryoga glared at him for a moment before leaning back in his seat with a scowl. "Fine," he said, "but only if you swear on your honor not to say a word about this to anyone."

"Sure, ya got my word," Ranma said readily. "Now, why's it such a big deal?"

"The term _kōshaku_ refers to nobles; famous samurai clans, Daimyos and their descendants, and members of the imperial family, although each is written differently," Ryoga explained. "However, the Japanese Constitution put an end to the official nobility decades ago and ended the use of all titles of nobility or rank outside the immediate imperial family."

Silence reigned in the waiting room for a moment, before Ranma pointed at him in shock, and yelled, " _You're_ a NOBLE!?"

Ryoga just groaned at his rival's reaction as he muttered, "This is why I don't tell people about it."

* * *

 **AN:** And there we go! Hope you enjoyed it so far, and looking forward to your thoughts!

...

...What? Matchmaking? The story a made an April Fool's Day Joke about abandoning and then didn't update for over a year? Oh yeah, that's a thing...

...I should probably get to work on that...


	2. Ch 2: An Unexpected Invitation

**A Noble Endeavor**

 **AN:** Surprise! I'm back! I know this isn't the story most of my readers would prefer to see me update, but it is what I was inspired to write.

Without further ado, enjoy!

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Chapter 2: An Unexpected Invitation

Ranma looked at himself in the mirror. At first glance, he looked no different than usual, but the difference that was there tugged at his attention, since he knew it was present. The tailor Ryoga had taken him to yesterday had duplicated the style of Ranma's old shirts perfectly. However, rather than the black border his old ones had, Ranma's new shirts were bordered with a yellow thread, the same shade as Ryoga's shirt.

As he finished getting ready for school, Ranma wondered aloud, "I wonder if that pig's still here, anyway? Then again, I probably shouldn't keep callin' him that, considerin'..."

Ryoga had made it clear that he did not want to be treated any differently, and Ranma had kept his word about not telling anyone, but he found it hard to keep thinking about his rival the same way after their discussion the previous day. It was not his rival's nobility that effected Ranma's opinion, but rather Ryoga's attitude about it. Ranma's experience with those claiming to be nobility had led him to believe they were all either like Kuno or Herb.

Heading downstairs, Ranma saw Ryoga already at the breakfast table with the Tendo sisters. "Would it have killed ya ta wait for me, Pork Breath?" Ranma grumbled as he sat down.

Ryoga looked at him in surprise and what Ranma thought might be a tinge of relief. However, a moment later, it was replaced by his usual irritation at being called such a name, especially in front of Akane. "Can it, Saotome, I'm not your babysitter," he growled back.

"Ranma, stop picking on Ryoga!" Akane spoke up. "Honestly, can't you two go one day without getting in a fight?"

"Besides," Nabiki added, "if you don't eat fast, you'll be late for school."

"Yeah, yeah," Ranma grumbled, quickly scarfing down his food.

A few moments later, the four of them were rushing down the road, although Nabiki trailed behind the others at a more leisurely pace. The martial artists were always worried about something unexpected making them late, but Nabiki rarely had to deal with such delays.

Upon reaching the school gate without anything unusual occurring, Akane continued inside, but Ryoga actually pulled Ranma up short just inside the gate.

"What's the big idea?" Ranma asked in annoyance at the sudden stop.

Glancing back to make sure they had time before Nabiki caught up, Ryoga said, "Look, Saotome, about yesterday..."

"Hey, I ain't said anything," Ranma interrupted. "I gave my word, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but the thing is..." Ryoga hesitated, before saying, "Look, I need a favor, but it has to do with what we talked about. You know you're the last person I want to ask for help, but..."

"But ya don't want ta have ta tell anybody else you're a nob-mmf!" Ranma concluded, but was cut off as Ryoga slapped a hand over his mouth.

Glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, Ryoga hissed, "Don't say it out loud!" Calming down slightly, he went on, "But yeah, that's why I've got no choice to ask you. Thing is, my parents got invited to an important party, but they're both out of the country and won't be back in time to attend. So, my dad thought it would be a great idea for me to go instead, despite the fact that the place it's at is one that I haven't been to since I was a little kid."

Realizing the problem, Ranma asked, "So you want me ta lead ya there so you actually get there on time?" Seeing Ryoga scowl but nod, Ranma asked, "Makes sense, but what's in it for me?"

Ryoga relaxed slightly, as he already had the answer to that one. "Well, the invitation says I can bring a guest, and it also mentions a free buffet."

"Well, why didn't you say so sooner, buddy?" Ranma said, immediately acting like they were best friends. "So, when is this thing?"

"It's this Saturday night, but we should go see Shitateya-san tonight so he can get started on our clothes," Ryoga replied, glad that he was not going to have to tell someone else about his secret.

"Clothes? What clothes?" Ranma asked.

"Unfortunately, there's a certain level of dress expected at events like this," Ryoga said, not even trying to hide his annoyance. "Don't worry, it won't cost you anything."

Ranma just shrugged, saying, "Hey, as long as I get to eat fancy food, I suppose I can put up with getting stuck in a suit for a few hours."

Suddenly, the school bell rang, both martial artists rushing inside the building at the sound. Neither noticed Nabiki hiding just outside the school gate, mulling over the bits she had managed to overhear.

* * *

The rest of the week passed without any issue beyond the usual Nerima craziness. The afternoon of the day in question saw the two martial artists arriving at the tailor's shop to pick up what he had made for them. When they arrived, Shitateya greeted them with a smile. "Hello, Hibiki-sama, Saotome-sama. I have your clothes right here," he said, gesturing to two discrete parcels sitting on the counter. Each had one of their name's printed on it in meticulously neat script, but otherwise gave no indication of their contents.

"Great, got somewhere I can change?" Ranma asked. Just outside the store, a passing vehicle had gone through a puddle right next to them. Ryoga had managed to block the resulting spray of water from hitting him with his umbrella. Ranma, however, had not been so lucky.

"We should probably wait on that," Ryoga said, as he grabbed the package with his name on it. "With your luck, you'll get splashed again before we get there, anyway."

"Yeah, yeah," Ranma grumbled, as she grabbed her own package. "Ya sure we'll be able ta change when we get there?"

"We'll arrive early as long as nothing stops us, so it shouldn't be an issue," Ryoga answered. To the tailor, he said, "Thanks for getting these done so quickly.

"It was an honor," Shitateya replied. "All I ask is that you put in a good word if anyone asks where they were made."

"Sure, no problem!" Ranma said with a grin. She may not have cared about fancy clothes, but she always enjoyed getting free stuff.

As they left the establishment and took to the rooftops to travel faster, Ranma asked, "So, where do I need ta take ya, anyway? Ya never told me."

"I didn't?" Ryoga said, surprised that he had forgotten to mention that part. "It's at my cousin's place. He lives at 1-1 Chiyoda in Tokyo."

"Huh, that's a weird address," Ranma said. "Guess we better get moving." As they began leaping from one roof to another, Ranma added, "I don't think ya ever mentioned having a cousin before."

Ryoga glanced at his rival suspiciously, but shrugged as he figured the redhead was just making conversation as they traveled. "I have four, actually. The eldest is named Ryoma, and he'll probably be the first one you meet. This whole party is to celebrate him getting engaged."

That brought a bitter laugh from Ranma, as she said, "Wow, even when I go ta a party outside Nerima, I can't escape engagements."

"Believe it or not, some people actually like the idea of getting married some day, Saotome," Ryoga shot back with a glare.

"Whatever," Ranma waved it off. "Still, 'Ryoma'? Ain't it weird that his name's so similar ta yours?"

"Ask my dad, he's the one that named me," Ryoga said. "Besides, Ryoma's older than me, so it's more that my name's like his." After a moment's thought, he added, "You might actually get along with him. He's a martial artist, too."

"Really? What's he practice?" Ranma asked, curiosity peaked.

"Iaijutsu," Ryoga replied.

"Great, another noble that likes ta wave a stick around and pretend he's a Samurai," Ranma grumbled. "It's Kuno all over again."

Rather than get upset, however, that actually made Ryoga laugh. "Go ahead and say that to his face. I'd love to see your expression when you get to see his katana up close. Some folks call him 'The Samurai Prince', but he earned that title."

"Sounds like somebody's got a case of hero worship," Ranma teased.

"Oh, shut up, Saotome!" Ryoga shot back, trying to suppress a slight blush.

"So, what about the other three?" Ranma asked.

"Well, the next oldest is Hinoka," Ryoga said. "She's only a year older than me. Won a nationwide tournament last year with her naginata. Then there's Takumi, who just started high school, I think. My dad mentioned him becoming captain of an archery club last time we talked."

"Are all of your cousins weapon nuts?" Ranma interrupted, sensing a pattern.

"I guess... except for the youngest," Ryoga admitted. "Her name's Sakura, and she actually became a shrine maiden. I haven't gotten to speak to my uncle much, but from what my dad told me, his brother believes that noble blood is more of a responsibility than a privilege. That's why all his kids have to prove themselves."

"I suppose that makes sense," Ranma agreed.

The rest of the trip continued in a similar vein, the rivals teasing each other and bantering back and forth.

As the afternoon waned on to evening, the duo finally arrived at their destination. However, it took a moment before Ranma realized she had really gotten the right place.

"Uh, Ryoga? Are ya sure ya got the right address?" Ranma asked, as she stared at their destination.

"Yeah, that's where my cousins live," Ryoga confirmed.

"...When ya said ya were a noble, ya could've mentioned this," Ranma grumbled. Heaving a sigh, she said, "Well, let's get this over with."

With that, the pair leapt down from the rooftops and began their final approach to the Tokyo Imperial Palace.

* * *

 **AN:** There we go! Sorry for the short chapter, but it has been a while since I wrote something for Ranma, so I hope it was up to my usual standard, nonetheless.


	3. Ch 3: Crimson Encounter

**A Noble Endeavor**

 **AN:** Here we go! Took me way longer than it should have to finish this chapter, but I think it was worth it.

Without further ado, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 3: Crimson Encounter

"Good evening, Hibiki-sama," one of the uniformed individuals at the front gate of the palace ground greeted the pair. Glancing at Ranma, he added, "I take it this is your guest for tonight's festivities?"

"That's correct," Ryoga said, as the other guard opened the gate.

"Very well, please proceed and enjoy yourselves."

As they passed through into the palace ground, Ranma commented, "I dunno what I was expecting, maybe full on samurai armor, but those guys seemed more like cops than soldiers."

"That would be because, in 1947, the Imperial Guard was disbanded as a military unit and reformed as a civil force, operating as an extension of the National Police Agency," a voice answered, drawing the pair's attention to a you man approaching them.

He appeared to be in his early twenties, with wild brown hair that reached down almost to his waist. He was tall, with wide shoulders that filled out his white and red kimono. However, the most notable thing about him was the beautiful white and gold hilt of the katana he openly wore at his waist.

Holding a hand out to Ryoga, he smiled and said, "It has been far too long, cousin! I hardly even recognized you!"

Ryoga smiled as he returned the handshake. "Thanks, Ryoma. I'm, uh, sorry my parents couldn't make it."

"Think nothing of it!" The crown prince waved off his apology with a laugh. Glancing to Ranma, he asked, "And who is this enchanting creature you've brought with you?"

Ranma groaned at that, thinking, 'I knew I shoulda changed back before we got here...'

"This is Ranma Saotome, my martial arts rival," Ryoga said, grinning at the redhead's discomfort.

"Truly? It is good to see more women getting involved in such activities!" The prince replied happily.

"Uh, about that," Ranma spoke up, hoping to sort things out as fast as possible. "I don't suppose you've ever heard of Jusenkyo, have ya?"

Ryoma placed a hand on his chin in thought for a moment. "From the context of your question... am I to understand, then, that you are actually male?"

Ranma blinked in surprise, before a wave of relief washed over her. "Uh, yeah," she replied lamely. "Ta be honest, I figured I'd have ta show ya."

"Fear not," Ryoma said with an easy grin. "My position affords me information not available to, or discounted by, the general public, such as the truth about the existence of magic and curses. Of course, it helps that my cousin here suffers from a similar affliction, if I have heard correctly. But, come! Let us head inside so you can get changed." His eyes twinkled in amusement as he added, "And get changed."

As they followed him toward the palace, Ryoga asked his cousin, "How did you know _I_ was cursed? Last time I was here was before it happened."

"I overheard a rather amusing conversation between our fathers a few months back," the prince explained. "Something about my cousin getting tricked into thinking he had a red haired sister by someone with a similar curse. I don't suppose you would know anything about that, would you, Saotome-san?" Ryoga glared at the redhead, but she just grinned. Before either could reply, though, Ryoma went on to ask, "Actually, that reminds me. Are you related to the Himura clan, Saotome-san, or is your unique hair color merely a side effect of your curse?"

"Both, I guess?" Ranma replied. "When I'm a guy, my hair's black, but that was mom's name before she married pop."

"I don't suppose you'd let me introduce you to my sister Hinoka before you change back, would you? The resemblance is uncanny!" Ryoma said with a laugh.

Eye twitching in annoyance, Ranma asked, "Are ya trying ta say I look like some kinda princess?"

"A member of the Himura clan married into the royal family centuries ago. Every few generations, someone shows some of those recessive traits, like red hair," Ryoga explained. "Why do you think I fell for that damn Yoiko trick, anyway?"

Ranma frowned at that, wondering, 'If that's true, I wonder why mom never mentioned it...'

As Ranma was thinking about that revelation, they reached the front doors of the building... only for them to burst open as a young woman rushed out, calling in slightly accented Japanese, "There you are, Ryoma! I've been looking all over for you!"

The woman looked to be about the same age as Ryoma, but with obviously foreign features. Her wavy lavender hair flowed down the back of her long black dress, the gold accents of which only served to accentuate her impressive bust.

"My apologies for worrying you, dear," Ryoma replied. "I went to stretch my legs before the party, but ran into my cousin and his guest arriving early." Turning to the younger pair, he said, "I'll be making the formal introduction at the party, but this is my fiancee, Camilla."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both, but I'm afraid pleasantries will have to wait until later," Camilla said. "Ryoma and I still have plenty to do to get ready."

Turning to Ranma, the prince whispered, "I take it you're here to help my cousin with his directional problem more than anything else, right?" At her nod, he went on, "Could you help him get to one of the guest rooms to get changed? It is down that hall, then..."

As the older pair left, Ranma followed the prince's instructions, making sure not to let Ryoga wander off along the way. Arriving at the destination, they found an opulent room that, fortunately for Ranma, had a connected bath. A bit of hot water later, and Ranma was happily back in his male form. As he stepped back into the main part of the room, he saw Ryoga opening his parcel from the tailor, revealing a plain, but finely made black kimono with a yellow obi.

As Ranma picked up his own package, he was struck by a worrying thought. Both when he had first met the tailor and when he picked up the clothes, he had been in female form. Half expecting to see some flowery thing inside, Ranma unwrapped his outfit. However, he was pleasantly surprised by what he found inside. The kimono was the same shade of red as his cursed form's hair, but wrapping around it was an embroidered black dragon, which would go with his male hair just as well. It was not as plain as most men's kimonos, but one could hardly call a dragon design 'girly'. Overall, it was something that would work just as well regardless of what form he was in.

"Damn, I guess I didn't give the guy enough credit," Ranma muttered to himself as he got changed.

Unfortunately for Ranma, this outfit had several more pieces than the more informal kimono's he had worn in the past, and after struggling with it for several minutes, Ryoga reluctantly gave his rival a hand, so that they would not be late. 'Who woulda thought Pork Breath knew about stuff like this,' Ranma thought to himself.

As they headed back towards the entrance, the sounds of other guests arriving could be heard. When they turned the last corner, they saw a couple dozen guests mingling, while Ryoma and Camilla greeted more fresh arrivals. Most were elderly folk, with the youngest Ranma saw likely in their thirties.

Just when Ranma began to suspect that he and Ryoga were the only teenagers present, a hand suddenly yanked at the back of his kimono, as a whispered voice hissed out, "What the Hell are you doing here, Saotome!?"

Whirling around to face his assailant, Ranma was just as surprised as she was to see the other here. "Nabiki? What are _you_ doing here?"

"I asked first, Saotome," Nabiki replied with a glare. "I traded far too many favors while getting this opportunity for you to ruin it with one of your half-baked schemes!"

"I'm not here for some 'scheme', I'm just... uh..." Ranma trailed off as he realized that explaining would mean giving away Ryoga's secret.

Ranma was saved from coming up with an excuse when Ryoma strolled up, having finished greeting other guests for the moment. "Is that you, Saotome-san? I admit, I would never have recognized you if I had not already known about the curse beforehand."

"Oh, hello again, Ry- er, I mean, your majesty," Ranma said with an awkward bow, trying to be more formal since Ryoga was not there.

However, the prince waved away such pleasantries. "'Ryoma' is just fine," he said. "You are a friend of the family, after all!"

"In that case, just call me 'Ranma'," Ranma replied as he relaxed.

Suddenly, Nabiki pulled him close and whispered, "I don't how on earth you got to be on a first name basis with the _crown prince_ , but if you introduce me, I'll tell you something for free that will save you a lot of trouble, got it?"

Wondering what she was talking about, but seeing no reason to refuse, Ranma turned to the prince and said, "This is Nabiki Tendo. She's the sister of my, um, fiancee."

"Nabiki Tendo, eh?" Ryoma said with a thoughtful expression. "I feel like I have heard that name before... No matter, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Tendo-san." Seeing another group of guests arriving, he turned to leave, saying, "I am sorry that I do not have more time to chat, but a host's work is never done."

Nabiki was curious about Ryoma's reaction, but Ranma was more interested in her offer. "So, what's this troublesome thing ya mentioned?"

"He's right over there, actually," Nabiki pointed across the room to where one Tatewaki Kuno stood. "To answer your earlier question, Saotome, I got here by convincing Kuno-chan to bring me as a guest. Speaking of, you never answered _my_ earlier question..."

Ranma decided to seize on this revelation in order to dodge the question once more. "Crap, if Kuno sees me, he'll cause a huge fuss trying ta fight me, and neither of want that, right?"

"Tell you what, Saotome, if you can avoid getting in a fight with him tonight, I won't pry about how you got here," Nabiki offered. "Deal?"

"Sure, but how am I supposed to keep him from starting something? Hide in a broom closet all night?" Ranma asked in frustration.

"As much yen as I could make off of you coming out of the closet, I suppose that will have to wait for another night," Nabiki said with a smirk, which only grew into a chuckle at Ranma's confused expression when her double entendre went over his head. "For now, let's just give Kuno-chan something else to occupy himself with."

With that said, Nabiki scooped a drink off the tray of a passing waiter, and dumped it over Ranma's head.

"...I shoulda figured it'd come down ta something like this," Ranma said in annoyance. "But won't he make just as big of a scene if he sees his 'pigtailed girl'?"

"Maybe, but a lovesick idiot is easier to explain then someone who attacks another inside the emperor's own palace," Nabiki replied. "Still, I'll try to keep him distracted as much as possible."

As Nabiki strode away, Ranma turned toward the room as a whole, scanning for Ryoga and wondering how he could have disappeared so quickly. Finally spotting him talking to Camilla, (and most likely being teased by the older woman, if his blush was any indication,) something occurred to Ranma. Seeing that Ryoma had just finished greeting another group of guests, Ranma stepped over to speak with him again.

"Mind if I ask a quick question, Ryoma?" Ranma said as she approached.

"I'm surprised to see you in that form again so soon, Ranma-san," the prince replied. "But I have a moment, so feel free."

"Well, Ryoga told me ya had brothers and sisters, so shouldn't they be here ta celebrate your engagement, too?" Ranma asked.

"Ah, that. Well, to be honest, this is mostly just an excuse for Japan's elite to meet the woman who may one day be their empress. Although, I suspect many have already made up their minds about her based solely on her heritage, and only came so as not to refuse a 'royal invitation'," Ryoma explained, a slight frown on his face. However, he perked up slightly as he went on. "As for my siblings, they have already met Camilla, so there was no need for them to suffer through an evening of political maneuvering alongside me. If you would like to meet them, though, I would be happy to introduce..."

Ryoma continued speaking, but Ranma's attention had been drawn elsewhere. A man was approaching them from behind Ryoma, which in itself was not strange, since Ryoma currently had his back to the main door while speaking with Ranma. What had caught the redhead's attention was the look in the man's eyes. It was a look that had been directed at Ranma several times over the last few years. Saffron, Herb, Mousse, even Ryoga in the beginning, all had directed that look at Ranma at least once. However, this man was directly his gaze at the crown prince.

It was the look of someone who fully intended to kill.

As the man reached into his kimono to grab something, the glint of light off metal was the last thing needed to spur Ranma into action. Grabbing Ryoma by his shoulders, Ranma twisted, forcing the surprised prince to swap places with her. Spinning around to face the assailant, Ranma was already raising her arms in a defensive position to ward away his blade. Except, it was not a knife he was holding.

A flash of light, a crack of sound, a sudden numbness.

Ranma's gaze fell from the assassin's pistol down to her red and black kimono. A kimono that showed less black and more red by the moment.

Then, everything went black.

* * *

 **AN:** And there we go! I bet none of you were expecting that! Needless to say, at this point, this story will be a lot more serious than most of my Ranma 1/2 works, but I think it will stand in its own right just fine.

This chapter has actually been finished for a week. If you want access to new chapters as soon as they are finished, consider supporting me. FFN does not allow direct links, but PM me if you are interested. My fanfiction will always be free, but those who support me will get the opportunity to read it first!

What will happen to Ranma? What happened after she went unconscious? Find out in future chapters of A Noble Endeavor!


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